Chaos by design: The story of Google’s management

The inside story of disorder, disarray, and uncertainty at Google. And why it’s all part of the plan. (They hope.)

Spend just a few minutes on Google’s sprawling campus in Mountain View, Calif., and you’ll feel it right away: This is a company thriving on the edge of chaos. Google, age 8, is pulling in $10 billion a year in revenue and is worth about $125 billion, but the vibe is far more freshman mixer than profit-seeking firm whose every utterance is scrutinized for deeper meaning.